The Anthropology of Geopolitics (L6301A)

30 credits, Level 6

Autumn teaching

The module introduces you to literature and debates in the fields of the anthropology of geopolitics and the anthropology of diplomacy. It explores historical expressions of geopolitical projects and processes, focusing on:

• the spatial, cultural, political and social characteristics of these projects and processes
• the experiences of societies living in contexts shaped by geopolitical processes across the world
• the forms of informal diplomacy that are also an important aspect of the contemporary world (dis)order.

This module examines different geopolitical projects and events over time and across regions—such as imperialism, the Cold War, humanitarian efforts, and international infrastructure projects—using specific case studies. These examples are used to explore theories that suggest there are universal characteristics in the field of geopolitics.

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 300 hours of work. This breaks down into about 30 hours of contact time and about 270 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2024/25. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.